Margaret Chase Smith, Edmund S. Muskie, George Mitchell, William S. Cohen — Maine has been most fortunate to have had these giants of statesmanship, integrity, and masters of politics, in our nations’ capital. Unique unto themselves, none will ever fill their shoes.

Yet, come Nov. 5, we must rry to select the best possible person to assume the “Cohen chair”; one who understands the need, and the art, of compromise, as they did.

Nothing ever gets done in Congress except through compromise, the true art of politics. After the election, both the Senate and the House will surely continue to split right down the middle, roughly half Democrat and half Republican. The two representatives from Maine will probably be one of each major party. Sen. Mitchell was replaced by a Republican. To offer us any hope of the vitally necessary balance and compromise in our Congress in the coming years, we must replace Sen. Cohen with a Democrat. That means you (Democrats — Republicans — Independents) must vote for Joe Brennan, even if you may not like him, to assure Maine its rightful voice in our nation’s capital. Brennan understands that vital need, and art, of compromise.

As soon as he is elected in early November, write him a letter telling him just what you expect of him. Politicians do listen to their constituents. Ray E. Hanscom Machias